Compilation of Final Fantasy VII short pieces
by S and G
Summary: Short pieces of writing from part of a larger-planned novelization of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. Includes work from Crisis Core, Advent Children, Before Crisis and Dirge of Cerberus. Some relevant original material. Please feedback
1. CC: Of Honour and Dreams

PROLOGUE

**Of ****Honour and Dreams**

"He's late." Angeal muttered, frowning as he squinted back towards the village gates, whose grassy border followed the knolls on either side of the path as it continued over the hill towards the archaic homes.

Radiant morning sunlight swept pleasantly from across the rocky cliffs in the east, down over the sloping redbrick rooftop of the Shinra Estate, ambling nonchalantly across the grounds of Banora's entrance where they waited. There was no sign of his father from beyond the trail that led to the landowner's house, only the sweet sound of chirping as the birds sang merrily to one another. Angeal folded his arms across his broad chest, kicking the dry earth with his heels restlessly.

"Don't worry." his mother reassured him, placing a calming hand on his shoulder. "He'll be here. He promised, didn't he?"

Angeal took his gaze from hers, unable to stop the knot in his stomach from tightening as the scheduled arrival of his transport drew ever-nearer. A cool breeze floated past, bringing with it the salty scent of the ocean, whistling slightly as it wound between the magnificent arcing Banora White trees that lined the road ahead. The nurturing warmth of late spring had brought the dumb apples almost to ripening, watering Angeal's mouth as he stared absently at the blossoming fruit.

The distant rumble of a Mako engine woke the teenager suddenly from his thoughts, his eyes darting towards the green Shinra Army truck as it lumbered along the worn trail towards the village. Angeal gulped hard as he saw the vehicle; the realisation and excitement of what lay ahead building rapidly within him. He had wholly considered his future as part of the monopolistic Shinra Inc. in the last few weeks, with whom both his parents and indeed most of the village were associated, knowing that he would be different from the others. He was to become something far more exceptional, just as his best friend was. _This is it_, he thought eagerly, _from this day forth, I will be one of the strongest. I will be one of the best. I will be a SOLDIER_…

Watching with anticipation as the truck slowly approached the Shinra Estate, he took a step forward as it shuddered violently and drew to a halt a short distance from where he stood. Straightening up, he brought himself to attention and held his fingertips to his temple in salute as two men exited the vehicle's cabin. Both were dressed in tidy black suits and white shirts, bearing indifferent expressions upon their faces. They seemed only a few years older than he, possibly still in their early twenties, but much more experienced.

"Angeal Hewley?" said one in a throaty voice, nodding to him.

"Yes, sir." he replied, allowing his arm to return to his side.

"Are you ready for departure?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then, let's get…"

"Angeal, wait!" came a frantic cry from behind him.

Angeal spun sharply to see a man hurrying down the path from the village. In the minutes that had elapsed since spotting his transport to Midgar's SOLDIER Headquarters, the anxiety about his father's whereabouts had evaporated, returning to him now all at once. He appeared to be struggling to move with haste, weighed down by the heavy glimmering object he cradled in his arms. As he came nearer, a shocked gasp escaped Angeal's lips, his mind unable to register the mighty gift his father bore.

The broad silver blade of the enormous sword shone brilliantly in the sunlight, sending the reflection of the glowing orb over the ground. The thick edges of the weapon were parallel but unequal in length, the shortest of which ended after four feet, growing half a foot farther in order to meet the other at a deadly point. Its base was trimmed with intricate golden carving, with two small circular holes cut through in addition. Angeal opened his mouth, but no words formed, leaving him gaping blankly at the sword.

"It's for you." smiled his father eventually, raising it towards him.

"I…I…" stammered Angeal as he took the long handle in his palm, unwilling to tear his gaze from it. "I don't know what to say."

"It was handmade by an old swordsmith friend of mine, Kimara." his father beamed as Angeal tested the weapon, expertly slicing it through the air. "Your mother and I wanted to show you how proud we are of you."

"It…it's wonderful." replied Angeal gratefully, bringing the sword swiftly to rest. "Thank you…both of you…"

"Mr. Hewley, it is time." commanded one of the men, not waiting for a response as he and his partner started back towards the truck.

Saying his farewell to his parents, and thanking them once more, Angeal snatched his bags from the ground and followed the men. A strange sensation had fallen over him; confused by an eagerness to prove his worth that was balanced by the notion that he may never see Banora again. What SOLDIER held for him, he could not foresee. Glancing back one last time at the village, he saw his mother scurrying after him. As he paused, she threw her arms around him, burying her head against his shoulder, holding him close. He knew he would never forget that moment, nor the words she spoke as she finally let him go.

"Always carry your dreams with you, Angeal," she whispered softly, "and no matter what, never let go of your honour…"

2


	2. DC: The Return of Genesis

EPILOGUE

**The Return of Genesis**

A silver moon hung over the silent ruins of Midgar, its piercing light splitting the darkening rain clouds that drifted slowly across the sky. Much of what had remained of the Plate had been torn from its support by the ascension of the Omega WEAPON, leaving only frayed stretches of uninhabitable land in its wake. Wide crevasses had formed on the surface of the Planet, dissecting the city like fatal wounds. Moonlight trickled down the jagged walls of the canyons, creeping warily into the murky caverns hundreds of feet beneath, bathing the body of Weiss in its undisturbed glow.

He lay broken and still atop a natural alter at the centre of a large rock pool, his white hair smeared across his grimy face, his lifeless fingers searching for the nearby triggers of his twin gunblades, Heaven and Earth. Black shadows of tall stalagmites were cast across the serene water around him, merging with the darkness as they reached the bank of the small lake. Above the shore, within a boundary watched over by an army of scaling stone sentinels, a prison unlike any other was concealed in the dimness.

The spherical liquid stratum rested without sound in the heavy air, its shimmering translucent shell reflecting what little light caressed the pool. A lone figure hung within, suspended with outstretched arms inside a second, smaller sphere, his wavy auburn hair falling limply on either side of his pale face. What had once been a magnificent blood-red leather jacket had become frayed down his left side, separated into thin strips that fell below his knee. Beneath the jacket, he had remained clad in his First Class SOLDIER uniform of dark blue poloneck and combat trousers, with the thick brown belt bearing the SOLDIER Crest tied around his waist. With all that the uniform had once represented gone, the outfit seemed nothing more than homage to a past era.

Suddenly, there came a flash of brilliant light around the centre of the lake, and an invisible force throbbed in the atmosphere around Weiss. Pulses of energy left his motionless body, sending ripples of current across the water and over the rock, enclosing the sphere like an electrical field. The torrent tore at its glistening exterior, surging over its surface as if searching for a weakness. Then, as abruptly as it had appeared, the energy force vanished.

Genesis slowly opened his Mako eyes, feeling the life again begin to flow through his veins. A strange sensation of warmth filled him; pleasing against the chilled walls of his confines. Brief thoughts of fragmented memory flickered in his mind, a cold smile forming on his lips as each image came and went. _Sephiroth_…_Deepground_…_the Goddess_…

_Even if the morrow is barren of promises,_

_Nothing shall forestall my return._

_To become the dew that quenches the earth,_

_To spare the skies, the seas to sands._

…_ah, how beautifully fitting_.

He lingered for a moment without movement, enjoying the stillness of his cocoon. Inhaling deeply, he closed his eyes again, and saw a great blaze slowly form within. Around him, the watery shell began to bubble as he had hoped, hissing as the temperature inside soared. With a victorious grin, Genesis unleashed more rasping flames of powerful Firaga magic from his gloved fingertips, causing the spheres to glow red-hot, blinding him from the world beyond. Long cracks appeared on the hanging stalactites of the cavern as the ascending heat burst from the shell, the crumbling rock plunging into the pool as it separated from the ceiling.

As the walls of the stratum finally shattered, it sent a great blast of cloud sweeping throughout the cave. Genesis allowed the fire to retract as he fell, landing softly in a crouched position on the stony bank at the water's edge. He gazed at his surroundings as he grew to his feet, frowning as he absorbed the sight of the midnight sky atop the scaling ravine above him. _What has become of Midgar? How long has it been?_

Following the strands of silver light, his eyes came to rest on the frozen figure of Weiss at the centre of the lake. He stood in silence, not taking his blank stare from the Immaculate. It was unexpected to see the young man lain as he had been, but the scene beckoned forth forgotten memories of the strength that resided inside his own flesh, and at once, Genesis began to understand. _My time has come_…

With a light pace, he started forward, a sense of purpose again washing over him. He could not help but allow the corner of his lips curl with delight as he strode elegantly across the water's surface, his weightless footsteps causing but a faint disturbance on its gleaming face. Climbing onto the rocky alter, he towered over Weiss' perfect body, for a time studying his lifeless features. Kneeling down, Genesis took him in his arms, lifting him gently from the cold stone. Weiss seemed unnaturally limp, not stirring as Genesis cradled him. He raised his gaze to the heavens as the rain clouds gathered overhead, smothering the moonlight.

"It is not yet time for slumber." Genesis bade in a low whisper, his dark voice echoing ethereally about the cavern. "We still have much work to do…my brother…"

The sensation of tearing across his left shoulder blade was as he remembered, the enormous single black wing sprouting from his back, extending out over the pool. _My time has come_, he thought again as he wholeheartedly embraced what lay ahead. The seconds seemed to pass over an eternity, his eagerness to commence his new mission forbidding his escape into the night. With an almighty beat of his wing, Genesis felt his feet leave the ground as he and Weiss took flight, the shadowy confines of the cavern disappearing rapidly below.


	3. BC: Those Who Lurk in the Night

PROLOGUE

**Those Who Lurk in the Night**

30/02/01

The squadron waited with baited breath as Sears peered through the manhole cover, his hand held out in a gesture for them to remain silent. On the street above them, the low mutter of the Shinra patrol could be heard as the infantrymen passed the opening, oblivious to the threat that had gathered beneath their feet. Almost a minute elapsed before Sears descended the rusting ladder, cautious to keep his boots gripped to the slimy rungs, satisfied that the soldiers had vacated the surrounding area.

The young man could feel his heart pounding in his chest; the nerves of the mission affecting him as it had all afternoon. _Today is the day that everyone will know our name_. He grimaced uncomfortably as the ankles of his beige uniform grew damp with sewage water, shifting his weight between his legs in an effort to reduce the irritation. He saw a number of men in the rows in front doing the same, cursing in hushed voices.

At the head of the assembly, Sears cleared his throat; his way of gaining the attention of his troops. Since joining the militant group, the young man had always admired Sears; his style of martial arts combat, the way he spoke to the army, and even his dress sense. He stood before them all now in the same outfit as his subordinates, although his a pale shade of grey, once again confirming how he saw himself as one of them. His only differing attribute was the dark green bandana he had tied down over his bushy black hair, pinning the long strands to either side of his firm jaw.

"Our revolution begins tonight." declared Sears, his thick voice echoing throughout the cavernous sewer tunnels. "This is the beginning of our fight to bring down the Shinra. Too long have they poisoned our minds with lies and deceit. Too long have they drained the life of the Planet with their Mako Reactors. It is the time for the people of the Planet to take a stand against them. AVALANCHE shall save the Planet from the unlawful dictatorship of the President. Down with Shinra!"

"Down with Shinra!" rallied the men, their fists high in the air.

"Now it is time to put our plan into motion." said Sears. "You all know the drill. Now, go! Kill anyone that stands in your way."

With a sudden bustle of bodies, the legion quickly began to part, most of the soldiers following Sears along the murky stream and vanishing into the darkness of the sewers. Spotting the rest of his team at the foot of the ladder, the young man waded through the water to meet them. The four climbed the slippery frame, scrambling through the manhole and onto the deserted road. Old industrial office buildings and warehouses lay noiseless on either side of the cobbled street, their grimy walls illuminated by the faint green glow of numerous lampposts.

The party leader set off along the pavement, signalling for them to keep to the shadows. The distant sounds of a city alive with early morning activity drifted from the centre of the Sector8 town, club music and the occasional drunken argument disturbing the otherwise silent suburb. At the end of the road, the entrance to the cargo train depot could be seen, the broken and dusty windows suggesting how unkempt it had become. A man's cough from nearby stopped the four in their tracks. Careful to keep himself hidden, the leader glanced around the corner.

"There are Shinra soldiers guarding the path to the Reactor compound." he whispered, unfazed. With an air of determination, he suddenly strode around the bend, not hesitating as the men stumbled behind. "We'll have to improvise. Just follow my lead."

"Hey!" called one of the infantrymen, turning from his post as they marched towards the gate. "You can't be here. Entry into this area is forbidden."

"I'm sorry." replied the man as he approached the two soldiers. "It's just me and my friends here are a bit lost and…"

With the sharpest of movements, he pounced on the first guard, snapping his neck with ease as his arms wrapped around his helmet. Before his partner could even comprehend what had happened, the team leader snatched the rifle from his victim's hands and pierced the second soldier's metallic blue armor with a series of bullets. Speechless, the three militants gazed in disbelief as their superior slung the weapon across his shoulder without a flicker of emotion. Pulling his cell phone from his shirt pocket, he dialed the required number.

"Yes?" came Sears' voice through the crackling earpiece.

"Sir, we have eliminated the gateway guards." reported the team leader.

"Excellent." said Sears. "Proceed as planned."

"Roger that."

"What now?" asked the young man as the leader slipped the PHS back into his pocket.

"We're splitting into two groups." he replied, nodding towards the compound. "Two of you stay here and wait for the second wave to arrive. Make sure you deal with these corpses. I'm going to secure the area up ahead."

Selecting one of the men to accompany him, he took a final search of the area for any enemies, heading to the high stone perimeter of the gateway. The young man looked on in awe as the leader tossed a rope over the wall of the complex and, scaling the height in a matter of seconds, disappeared into the facility. For a few minutes, the two remained in an unspoken trance, their thoughts laden with anxiety as they scrambled to lower the bodies of the infantrymen through the drainage outlet and into the sewers. The young man's nervous eyes scanned the street time and again; his throbbing imagination convinced that they were not alone.

"What's keeping the others?" he whispered, taking great effort to conceal the agitation in his tone as he pulled the manhole cover back into place.

"They should be here soon." answered his comrade. "Everyone's counting on us. We better not mess anything up. After years of keeping it locked up inside, the time has finally come for us to be freed from our hatred."

"Yeah, down with Shinra…" mumbled the young man, jumping as the sound of a ringing phone split the air from the street they had come. Exchanging a concerned glance with his teammate, he raised his fists, starting slowly towards the corner. "Hey, who's there…?"

3


	4. DCO: The SOLDIER Applicant

PROLOGUE

**The SOLDIER Applicant**

Shalua Rui's studious gaze drifted inquisitively over the billboard walls of the waiting room at Shinra Inc.'s Army Headquarters, briefly reading the optimistic headlines of the newspaper clippings that spoke of the nearing conclusion to the War against the weakened Empire of Wutai. Pale autumn sunlight filtered from the office beyond, casting shadows of the swaying curtains over the blue carpet. All was quiet but for the low, muffled voice of the interviewer as he spoke to the previous candidate in the adjacent room, and the repetitive ticking of an overhead clock that now read 15:34.

_My interview was meant to start five minutes ago_, she thought irritably to herself, _what the hell's taking them so long?_

It had been a long few days for Shalua; flown by the Company from her home near the armoured coastal city of Junon to the vast metropolis of Midgar. Although she had recently turned sixteen, it was her first real time being on her own, and the furthest she had come from Junon since the death of her mother. The room in the barracks she had been assigned for the duration of her stay had been less pleasant than what she was used to at the Junon Military Academy, but gave her a taste of what to expect as a member of the Shinra Army's elite force.

She glanced up as the glass door of the interview room swung open, watching a young man with spiked blonde hair shake the hand of the interviewer, and mutter his thanks. Shalua had seen the boy a number of times over the last couple of days, wandering the corridors of the barracks without sound, once smiling shyly at her as they crossed paths. She had heard his name, Cloud, only in passing, simply acknowledging him as the lone infantryman who sat by himself in the mess hall.

Shalua stood from the sofa as the boy walked by, quickly brushing down strands of her long auburn hair and adjusting her plaited red Academy uniform in the wide mirror of the opposite wall. Pushing her glasses back up the bridge of her nose, she grabbed her bag from the floor, and followed the interviewer's beckoning arm for her to join him in his office.

The room was broad and lined with collections of shelved books and documents, touched by a faint fragrance of vanilla. The blinds on the windows had been partially closed, concealing beneath them a view of the facility's yard where afternoon drills were taking place, and beyond it the streets of Midgar's suburb. A mahogany desk bearing piles of neatly stacked papers and folders was situated at its centre, on which rested a single sheet with her name printed across it.

"Welcome, Ms. Rui." said the bald man politely, closing the door behind them. "My name is Hart. Please, take a seat."

"Thank you." nodded Shalua, placing her bag by her feet as she sank into the soft leather chair.

"I understand you are not a regular candidate for entering SOLDIER." he began, pacing the room and dropping into the seat behind his desk. "Your application is very different from what we are used to receiving."

"What do you mean, sir?"

"Although we do not discriminate against women, we find that most of our applicants at your age are young men with experience in the Security Department."

"I don't follow, sir."

"Reading over your file, and speaking to your instructors, it seems you have a real gift for scientific research. You finished top of your class did you not?"

"My marks were second only to those gained by Lucrecia Crescent over thirty years ago." smiled Shalua bashfully.

"Quite an achievement." Hart congratulated her, frowning thoughtfully. "So, why not work for one of our Science Departments?"

"I enjoy working in the field." replied Shalua with a shrug. "I think my skills would be a great asset to any unit, and it beats being locked up in a research lab or office all day."

"Oh, really?" grinned Hart, his eyes moving over the room. "I quite like it in here."

"I'm sorry, I…I didn't mean it that way…"

"It's quite alright." he said, chuckling to himself. "I personally think you are a perfect candidate, and will certainly be putting your name forward but, as a formality, there are some questions I'll have to ask."

"Okay."

"Do you have any medical issues before the examination process begins?"

"Examination process?" stammered Shalua.

"Yes." answered Hart. "There is an intense examination to test the physical and mental strength of any possible SOLDIER candidates."

"What does it involve? I heard a rumour that it was some kind of Mako infusion."

"Unfortunately, it is a Company secret, so I am unable to disclose that information." he sighed. "Shall we continue?"

"Alright."

"I already know most of your education history, so it's just really a few personal questions."

"Alright."

"Have you lived in the Junon area all of your life?"

"Yes, I was brought up there."

"And your parents?"

"My mother died of illness three years ago. I never knew my father, but he was a SOLDIER also."

"Any brothers or sisters?"

"Yes. One"

"Age?"

"Nine."

"Have they shown any signs of future potential that the Academy should develop?"

"Yes."

"And what's that?"

"Synaptic Net Diving."

"I'm sorry, what?" Hart spluttered, stunned by the response.

"Synaptic Net Diving." repeated Shalua. "Y'know…SND."

"I know what it is." he said. "Are you sure? It's an incredibly rare ability."

"Positive."

"Okay, well…um…could you please excuse me for a moment?" he murmured uneasily, picking up the phone receiver on his desk and punching the speed dial.

"Yeah…sure…" said Shalua, watching Hart's brows furrow as he turned his back to her. After a few seconds, there came a female voice from the other end of the line.

"SOLDIER Department" she chirped. "How can I help?"

"Hi, it's Hart." he said in a lowered tone.

"What can I do for you?"

"Can you put me through to the Director?"

"He's in a meeting with Chief Verdot at the moment." advised the secretary.

"Please call him immediately and tell him to come to my office."

"But…"

"Do it!" snapped Hart. "It's important."

"Yes, sir." she replied, hanging up.

"I'm very sorry about this." gulped Hart, clearly flustered, smiling restlessly at Shalua. "The Director should be down shortly."

"What's wrong?" asked Shalua, growing concerned.

"It's…uh…it's nothing." he said quickly, glancing away. "Just Company policy, that's all."

Even in the warmth of the office, Shalua felt a chill creep down her spine. _What the hell's going on?_ Hart nervously began rearranging the folders on his desk, mumbling incoherently to himself, taking great care not to meet Shalua's questioning stare. The distant commands of the infantry's drill sergeants could be heard from the grounds below, reverberating through the air like fog horns.

She spun sharply on her chair as the door behind her opened, and gazed confusedly at the man who entered. He was slim in build, clad in a blue pin-stripe suit jacket and grey trousers, and appeared a number of years younger than Hart. His hair was blonde in colour, long and wavy, hanging to one side of his narrow face. The man strode across the room, glaring fiercely at the interviewer.

"This had better be good, Hart." he growled.

"I thought you would want to know, sir," stammered Hart, "that our SOLDIER applicant here, Ms. Rui, has just informed me that a young member of her family has the gift of SND."

"Is this true, Ms. Rui?" the man asked, lowering his spectacles from his face as he spoke.

"Yes, sir." she nodded.

"Interesting." he mouthed pensively, taking a seat at the edge of the desk, and offering his hand. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Lazard. I am the Head of the Department of SOLDIER."

"I know, sir."

"Then you will also know that SOLDIER and, of course, Shinra Inc. in general care a great deal about developing the abilities of youths through our Academies." said Lazard. "Especially ones as unique as this. It is very important that we begin as early as possible in order to achieve maximum results. Do you agree, Ms. Rui?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then, tell me," Lazard asked softly, leaning closer to her, "where is the child now?"


	5. AC: Secrets of the Sleeping Forest

CHAPTER FIVE

**Secrets of the Sleeping Forest**

Cloud gradually opened his eyes, the thoughts of the children heavy upon his mind. As he strained to focus, he could make out the shapes of the trees around him, the brilliant white almost blinding to stare at. He remembered the first time he had witnessed the strange phenomenon, and how Nanaki had explained the pattern of Spirit Energy among certain fertile lands. _That was the night before_…

He shivered, the numbing air of the forest passing through his clothing. Pulling the zip of his jumper to his chin, he wrapped his arms around himself for warmth. There came a faint buzzing to his left; a single firefly fluttering without purpose or direction amongst the weeds and flowers at the edge of the river. He watched its flight pattern for a short while, dreamily following the movements, glancing up as there came a flicker of silver amongst the underbrush on the opposite bank.

_The wolf_…_?_

He blinked, perplexed at its presence in such an environment, and found that the beast had again vanished without trace. Frowning, he began to wonder if he had imagined the animal as he searched his body for the strength to stand. Pushing himself from the grassy mound, he felt his world spin, a sharp pain emitting from the back of his head. Running his hand through his hair to the spot, Cloud touched the dry blood, and sensed a bruised lump shaping.

_Kadaj_…

'That was quite a fight you put up.' came a low voice from above him.

Cloud spun, his fingers wrapping around the handle of the First Tsurugi, scanning the surrounding branches. From atop the thickest arm of a nearby tree, he saw the figure of a lone man, his features hidden somewhat in the shadows cast by the moonlight. He was a tall man, clad in a black leather costume, veiled to an extent by his long red cloak. His burning eyes met Cloud's, his pale expression concealed by his high collar. Cloud allowed his body to relax, releasing the grip on his sword.

'Vincent?'

'Long time, no see, Cloud.' said the man, leaping weightlessly in a somersault from the branch, and landing with ease a few feet from him. 'How are you?'

'I've been better…' he muttered, unmoved by the unusual entrance.

'I could tell.'

'Vincent, what happened back there?' asked Cloud. 'Where are the children?'

'The children have left this place.' said Vincent. 'They went with the trio of men. Is that what brought you here?'

'I came to save the kids, but…'

'You were ambushed.'

'Yeah. How did you know?'

'I watched from afar.'

'What happened? How did I get here?'

'During your battle, you were knocked unconscious.' replied Vincent. 'I was able to fend the attackers off with Cerberus, and escape with you unscathed.'

'Then, I was right.' said Cloud, lowering his head. 'I'm no good to anyone.'

'You certainly put up a challenge against Kadaj.'

'You…you knew who he was?' stammered Cloud, glancing up. 'Vincent, what else do you know about all this?'

'I come here often.' he said, drawing his three-barrelled rifle, Cerberus, from its holster on his leg, and setting it against the mound on which Cloud sat. He folded his arms across his chest, the clawed fingers of the golden gauntlet on his left limb clasping his opposite elbow hard. An air of deep thought passed over him as he wandered towards the river bank, gazing out over the still waters with his back to Cloud.

'Vincent?'

'I've seen what Kadaj's group is doing. The stigma…' he began. Cloud grimaced as he spoke the word, clasping at his infected arm. Vincent turned, frowning as he read Cloud's face, his eyes falling upon his left bicep.

'It's nothing.' said Cloud. 'Keep going.'

'When all living things are born,' continued Vincent, returning his attention to the river, 'they are blessed with a strand of Spirit Energy. Inside our bodies, the Spirit Energy acts as part of the Lifestream's current. This current is what fights off any malevolent intruders inside us.'

'What do you mean by 'intruder'?'

'When the Lifestream burst from the ground to save the Planet from Meteor, Jenova's dismembered body was scattered across the globe. Her cells were absorbed by the people they came into contact with. Sephiroth's Will…Jenova's memetic legacy…call it what you want. Now that the Planet has rid itself of Meteor's threat, it seeks to eliminate its unwelcome guest.'

'Then, Geostigma is…'

'Geostigma is what happens when the Spirit Energy in our bodies tries to remove the alien matter…and overcompensates.'

'What do you mean?'

'It is not the cells of Jenova that are causing the deaths of the innocent;' said Vincent, his voice no louder than a whisper, 'it is the Planet attempting to expel them.'

'You're well informed.'

'I have been to the Forgotten City and listened to the incessant ramblings of Kadaj and his brothers. They revealed a lot to their prisoners…'

'Prisoners?' said Cloud.

'Tseng and Elena.' replied Vincent. 'They were taken there half-dead, having been brutally tortured. I did what I could to rescue them, but…well, it was ugly…'

'They were tortured?'

'They had it coming.' Vincent said, snorting. 'They got they're hands on Jenova's head.'

'Then when Kadaj says he's looking for 'Mother'…'

'Heaven's dark harbinger…the Calamity from the Skies. Kadaj is after Jenova.'

'So, that's why he calls me 'Brother'.' said Cloud thoughtfully, gently climbing to his feet. 'He must view everyone with Geostigma as his surrogate family.'

'It seems that way…'

'Kadaj…what is he?'

'It appears that when you defeated Sephiroth's consciousness in the Lifestream, his Will was still too strong for him to dissipate into Spirit Energy.' said Vincent. 'His refusal to be absorbed into the Lifestream caused an unbalance, contaminating the Spirit Energy around him. That contamination was able to manifest itself into three tangible entities; Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo.'

'Those guys are the spirit of Sephiroth? His Will in a physical form?'

'Exactly. At this moment, they are nothing more than a mere shadow of him, but…'

'But what?'

'I've been trying to discover why they are seeking the remains of Jenova.' sighed Vincent. 'The three have individual personalities, separate from Sephiroth…'

'Vincent, what are saying…?'

'Do you remember when we discovered that the Sephiroth we had been chasing was nothing other than one of Jenova's incantations?'

'Yeah.'

'Hojo said that Jenova had the ability to manipulate, both physically and mentally. We witnessed that at Northern Crater. What's to say it couldn't happen again if they were able to retrieve the head?'

'Then, Sephiroth's Will merging with Jenova's cells…'

'If they wanted,' said Vincent, 'Kadaj and his brothers could bring back Sephiroth…'


	6. CC: The Nibelheim Incident

CHAPTER NINETEEN

**The Nibelheim Incident**

'Sure is raining hard…' Zack muttered to himself, peering at the muddy road as it emerged from the rear of the truck, disappearing amidst the silhouettes of the Velamyu Forest's armies of evergreen.

The sky had been overcast for the duration of their journey across the Western Continent, showering the countryside in spurts of heavy downpour as their vehicle sped through fields and woodland alike. It seemed like an eternity since the squad had left Midgar only a few days previous, and Zack was yet to fully recover from the weariness of their long flight across the ocean aboard one of the Junon Air Force's Gelnika airships. Now, lost in a haze of his own thoughts as he listened to the soothing patter of water on the tarpaulin roof of the truck, he turned suddenly as the young Shinra soldier beside him groaned.

'I hate motion sickness.' grumbled Cloud, his head buried between his knees.

'I wouldn't know.' replied Zack, laughing at his friend. 'I've never had it.'

'Then, you're lucky.'

'If you're feeling bad,' said Zack, 'why don't you take your helmet off?'

'I'll be alright.' he said, breathing hard as the wagon bounced once more on a pothole, the thick tyres of the vehicle careering over the rough trail.

Zack stood, stretching his legs for the first time in hours. Around him, the hold shook, rattling under the weak suspension. At the head of the truck, the driving soldier could be seen beyond the glass partition of the cab, his concentration focused on the weaving road before him. A third soldier rested on the floor below the panel, partially concealed in the shadows of the thin fluttering walls. Taking his gaze from the man, Zack glanced down, quietly admiring the dark sleeveless poloneck and combat trousers of his uniform, feeling only pride as he had each time he donned the outfit in the months since being promoted from Second Class. _I despised that stupid purple colour_…

He began to pace back and forth across the short length of the compartment, unable to mask his excitement as he thought about his mission to Nibelheim. Although he had been informed by the Company that the location of their mission was Mount Nibel, his superiors had been reluctant to disclose much more. As his mind raced with possible explanations to the disturbance, each as absurd as the last, Zack looked up to see the pale green Mako eyes of Sephiroth watching him.

'Settle down.' he said coolly, crossing his arms as he leaned back on the weapons crate, his tone one of authority. 'You're acting like an anxious kid.'

'Sorry…I'm just…'

'Restless, huh?'

'Yeah.' nodded Zack. 'So, are you gonna brief us on the assignment?'

'You haven't been properly briefed yet?' asked Sephiroth.

'I only know what you've told me.' said Zack.

'I thought as much.' he sighed. 'But, you should at least know that this isn't a typical mission.'

'What do you mean?'

'The distress call from the workers inside the Nibel Reactor mentioned irregular malfunctions,' explained Sephiroth, 'so the Executive's immediate assumption was that AVALANCHE had breached the security at the facility. However, they had only been shown the first part of the message.'

'Some of the transmission was kept from the Executive?' gasped Zack. 'But…why?'

'The President felt it would be best not to alarm anyone of the situation; the latter part of the message contained an incomplete communication about the Reactor itself producing brutal creatures.'

'Brutal creatures?'

'Sounds familiar, don't you think?' said Sephiroth sullenly, reading Zack's reaction. 'And on top of that, there have been reported sightings from the townspeople of strange dragons in the area, apparently inhabiting the caverns within the mountain. Our task is to locate the source of the problem and neutralize it, but all this is very unusual.'

'What do you think it means?'

'I'm not sure.' said Sephiroth, frowning. 'Heidegger has classified this assignment as top secret given what's happened with Lazard and the SOLDIERs sent after him. That's why I was brought in. It suggests that the circumstances are quite serious.'

'What about our contact?' said Zack. 'Did they confirm any of this?'

'The Turks were sent to scout ahead, but they were unable to find anything new.'

'And the workers?'

'That's just it…' said Sephiroth in a low voice, 'we lost contact with them a number of days ago. It seems every last one of the Reactor's employees is missing…'

'But…'

With a tremendous surge of power, the truck lurched unexpectedly sideways, throwing Zack to the floor. His head smashed hard against the plated steel, taking him a few seconds to regain his bearings. The grinding whir of tyres rang out as the vehicle spun from the road, screeching to a halt against a cluster of thick elm trees. Sephiroth rose slowly to his feet, unflinching as the truck quaked violently a second time, his cold stare burning through the torn tarpaulin.

'Sir!' cried the driver, scrambling for the steering wheel. 'Something big just crashed into us!'

'It would appear,' he said grimly as he grasped the blue handle of the Masamune, drawing the sword from its sheath, 'that we have found one of our dragons.'

Stepping casually over the fallen boxes that had been strewn across the trailer, Sephiroth leapt from the rear of the truck, landing with ease on the worn trail as his boots sank into the damp earth. Zack pulled himself up and, snatching the Buster sword from over his shoulder, darted to join his Captain.

He felt his clothes become instantly heavier as he braved the torrent of rain, mopping the matted spikes of hair his from his eyes as he waded through the troughs of sludge. Sephiroth had already circled the truck, luring the magnificent beast from the damaged vehicle. The dragon was almost twenty feet in size, its enormous clawed arms causing the ground to tremble beneath them as it lumbered after him. Its scales were emerald green in colour, fading into a pallid shade of purple on its underbelly. A rigid spine of dark grey lined the beast's bulky form, separating its spanning wings, thinning to become two curling horns at the tip of its jagged snout.

As it approached Sephiroth, the creature bellowed, its thunderous roar reverberating across the forest. He waited without motion for it to close on him, the Masamune clutched before his elegant figure in an offensive stance, his jaw firm as he tracked the monster with his fierce glare. Its nostrils smoking, the dragon reared back on its hind legs and, with a mighty surge, breathed a wave of powerful flames over its foe.

Zack gasped as the intense blaze engulfed Sephiroth, submerging him within the inferno. Tongues of fire bounced harmlessly against the glowing spherical barrier around him, his arm held aloft as the Shield Materia created a solid wall of impenetrable magic. For a few seconds the beast continued its futile onslaught, the flames retreating at last to its gaping mouth. Sephiroth lowered his hand, the faint shine of the Materia in his forearm diminishing, completely unscathed by the blast.

The parted fringe of his silver hair clung to his cheeks as the downpour became ever-harder, his darkened gaze lowered to the muddy trail. With a flash of movement, he was upon the startled animal, his sword slicing effortlessly through its stomach, spilling its intestines across the ground. The beast howled in agony, flailing wildly in an attempt to protect itself. Leaping high into the air, he lunged at its neck, dragging his blade across its throat. The dragon gargled as blood caught in its gullet and, as it fell to its knees, Sephiroth showed no compassion for the dying creature, the tails of his black coat fluttering ferociously in the gale as he returned without expression to the truck.

* * *

The remainder of the journey through the rough terrain of the Velamyu Forest was without further interruption, bringing them at last to the outskirts of the rural town late in the afternoon. It was a short distance from the gateway to Nibelheim that their ride rumbled to a halt under Sephiroth's command, the Captain conscientious in his approach into a settlement riddled with uncertainty. As soon as the vehicle stopped, he unlatched the rear barrier, dropping gracefully onto the grass. Cloud and the accompanying soldier followed immediately, leaving Zack alone in the trailer for a moment, gathering his thoughts as he slotted his weapon onto his back.

Grinning eagerly to himself as he pondered his chance to once again prove his worth as a First Class to Sephiroth on the mission, he dashed forward and launched himself in a summersault from the truck. Gazing up triumphantly as he landed on the soft ground with perfection, he let out a disappointed groan, realizing the others were already striding towards Nibelheim, oblivious to his antics. In frustration, he slammed the door of the van, waiting a few seconds for it to pull away before jogging to catch his companions.

Sephiroth stopped beneath the frail overhanging gateway at the entrance of the town, surveying the settings beyond as he absorbed the location. A silent path of paved granite ventured deeper into the boundaries of Nibelheim from where they stood, lined on both sides by broad houses of pale sandstone. An ancient pickup motortricycle lay rusting in a small garden at the edge of the road, its decrepit exterior sheltered from the world by a white fence of painted wood. The shadow of Mount Nibel began to shape as the cool sun of late summer appeared in the dissipating overcast sky, cautiously slithering over the redbrick rooftops towards the party. At last, Sephiroth nodded to himself and again faced the soldiers, his attention trained on Cloud.

'How does it feel?'

'How does what feel?' Cloud said, finding no understanding to the question.

'It's your first time back here since you joined the Army, right?' said Sephiroth.

'Yeah.' he muttered.

'So, how does it feel?' Sephiroth said again, turning away from them. 'I wouldn't know…I don't have a hometown…'

'But…what about your parents?' asked Cloud.

'I was told very little about them.' he replied, his voice cold. 'My mother's name was Jenova. She died right after she gave birth to me.'

'And your father?'

'He…' Sephiroth sighed, chuckling callously to himself as he clenched his fists. 'What does it matter…?'

He started along the pathway, not once looking back. The three followed without sound, sharing brief glances of unease as they pondered what memories had caused such a reaction in their superior. _Jenova?_ _Did Sephiroth just say his mother's name was Jenova?_ The narrow street guided them north through the town, the ground gradually inclining as they walked. The old oak shutters of windows and doors had been bolted closed on many of the homes, their hinges clattering in the whispering wind, the resonance broken only by the eerie chimes of swaying bells.

They were brought after a while to the wide clearing of the town square, wispy mists of dust swirling nonchalantly at their feet as it was blown to and fro in the mild draught. The water tower at the centre of the square was as he envisaged it from the town's profile; the wooden frame that encased the well's pump holding solid despite decades of rot, the small turbine at its height rotating hesitantly. General stores and traditional shops marked the circumference of the area, their signage grimy and tattered as if they had remained unkempt for a great length of time. To their immediate left, there stood the grand building of Gramps' Inn. It had become a local legend in previous years for the magnificence of the three-bedroom annex that extended out over the main doorway, somewhat spectacular amongst the duplication of the surrounding structures.

'The place is oddly quiet.' said Zack, surveying the deserted square.

'Too quiet.' agreed Sephiroth.

'Everyone must be staying in their houses, afraid to come out because of the monsters.'

'Maybe it's us they're afraid of.' muttered Sephiroth, his nose twitching. 'The stench of Mako is pretty bad here.'

Crossing the short distance to the inn, they came suddenly to a halt as the twin mahogany doors of the tavern swung open, both SOLDIERs hastily drawing their weapons. A female Turk strode from the entrance, her straight brown hair flowing behind her as she approached the party. She was small in stature, the black suit jacket of her uniform taut around her petite figure. With a smile and flicker of her sparkling hazel eyes, she holstered the automatic shotgun she carried, and quickly saluted Sephiroth.

'Samantha?' Zack laughed in surprise.

'Hey, Zack.' beamed the girl. 'How are you?'

'I'm good.' he said. 'And you? It's been a while.'

'A long while.' added the young soldier, his voice tinny through his mask.

'Huh?' stammered Zack, gazing confusedly between his friend and the Turk. 'You two know each other, too?'

'We've worked together once before.' said Samantha. 'Right, Cloud?'

'Enough of this.' snapped Sephiroth. 'Have you anything new to report?'

'No, sir.' answered Samantha, unfazed by his impatience. 'Nothing has changed in the last three days. Everything has been arranged as planned.'

'Good.' said Sephiroth. 'Then, we leave for the Reactor at dawn. We'll be spending a lot of time on foot tomorrow, so make sure you get to sleep early.'

'What do you want us to do until then?' asked Cloud.

'We only need one lookout for the moment so Zack, you come with me just now.' he said.

'And me?' said Cloud.

'You may visit your friends and family.' replied Sephiroth, turning as he made his way towards the doorway of Gramps' Inn. 'The other is on guard duty for the next four hours.'

Zack scurried after him, glancing back briefly as he heard Samantha ask Cloud about his hometown, but scolded himself for eavesdropping on his friends as he entered the inn.


	7. BC: The Nibelheim Incident

**The Nibelheim Incident (BC)**

The shadow of Mount Nibel began to shape as the cool sun of late summer appeared in the dissipating overcast sky, cautiously slithering over the redbrick rooftops towards the frail gateway at the border of Nibelheim. Wispy mists of dust swirled nonchalantly across the wide clearing of the town square below her, blowing to and fro in the mild draught. The water tower at the centre of the square was as she remembered it from the images of her briefing; the wooden frame that encased the well's pump holding solid despite decades of rot, the small turbine at its height rotating hesitantly. General stores and traditional shops of varying sizes marked the circumference of the area, their signage grimy and tattered as if they had remained unkempt for a great length of time.

To the south, a silent path of paved granite began to gradually decline from the square, making its way beyond the boundaries of the town to the luscious meadows of the west, and vast Velamyu Forest of the east. The narrow street was lined on both sides by broad houses of pale sandstone, the most distant of which boasted small gardens that had been segmented by white fences to protect their private vehicles. She could see the old oak shutters of windows and doors had been bolted closed on many of the homes, their hinges clattering in the whispering wind, the resonance broken only from the eerie chimes of swaying bells.

Sighing, Samantha turned from her seated position on the ledge of the bedroom's bay window, slowly lowering her legs to the pinewood floor. A strange sensation came over them as blood was allowed once again to circulate, the muscles weak after almost an hour of being squeezed onto the compact surface. Shaking the numbness off, she started to pace back and forth across the room. She had waited most of the morning and what few hours had elapsed of the afternoon for the investigation team to arrive and now, as her mind for the first time began to ease slightly about her orders, she became aware of how little detail she had observed of her quarters in the past days. _That's not like me_…

The master suite of Gramps' Inn had become a local legend in previous years for the magnificence of the three-bedroom annex that extended out over the main entrance, somewhat spectacular amongst the duplication of the surrounding structures. The Company had rented the trio of rooms for the duration of the group's stay in Nibelheim, granting Samantha her own space as the single female of the party. Antique bookshelves stood in one corner, its collection of ornate hardbacks swathed in the burning light of the lone gas lamp. A low table sat opposite the pair of beds, placed precisely over a patterned rug of red and gold, its stumpy legs integrating with the entwining shades of colour. The layout was calming; an irony amidst the seriousness of the situation.

As she neared the window once more, the dry sound of scraping footsteps reached her ears, drifting from the square like ghostly murmurs. Peering eagerly through the panelled glass, she saw four men emerge from the main street, and recognised them at once. The Captain of SOLDIER, Sephiroth, had stopped before the others, his expression stern, the tails of his long leather jacket fluttering in the breeze. He was followed by Zack, whose casual stance reminded her of the first time they had met on the frozen plains of the Great Glacier. His Buster sword was still strapped to the back of his dark blue SOLDIER outfit, its blade glimmering in the faint sunlight. With them came two Shinra soldiers and, as the younger of the duo pulled his metallic blue helmet over his jagged spikes of blonde hair, Samantha gasped. _It can't be_…

'The place is oddly quiet.' she heard Zack say as he surveyed the deserted square.

'Too quiet.' agreed Sephiroth.

'Everyone must be staying in their houses, afraid to come out because of the monsters.'

'Maybe it's us they're afraid of.' said Sephiroth, his nose twitching. 'The stench of Mako is pretty bad here.'

As he started towards the grand building, Samantha grabbed her shotgun from the table, and darted from the room. Racing along the corridor, she took no notice of the bearded man at the end of the hallway as he stared at her in bewilderment, and vaulted the length of the staircase in a few bounds. She landed hard on the carpeted floor of the foyer, causing the bald innkeeper to glance sharply up from his newspaper, muttering his contempt as she slammed into the doorway.

She saw the four suddenly halt as the twin mahogany doors of the tavern swung open, both SOLDIERs hastily drawing their weapons. She strode from the entrance, her straight brown hair flowing behind her as she approached the party and, as she walked, she felt the black suit jacket of her uniform become taut around her petite figure. With a smile and flicker of her sparkling hazel eyes, she holstered her gun, and quickly saluted Sephiroth.

'Samantha?' said Zack.

'Hey, Zack.' beamed the girl. 'How are you?'

'I'm good.' he said. 'And you? It's been a while.'

'A long while.' added the young soldier, his voice tinny through his mask.

'Huh?' stammered Zack, gazing confusedly between his friend and the Turk. 'You two know each other, too?'

'We've worked together once before.' said Samantha. 'Right, Cloud?'

'Enough of this.' snapped Sephiroth. 'Have you anything new to report?'

'No, sir.' answered Samantha, unfazed by his impatience. 'Nothing has changed in the last three days. Everything has been arranged as planned.'

'Good.' said Sephiroth. 'Then, we leave for the Reactor at dawn. We'll be spending a lot of time on foot tomorrow, so make sure you get to sleep early.'

'What do you want us to do until then?' asked Zack.

'We only need one lookout for the moment, so you can come with me just now.' he said.

'And me?' said Cloud.

'You may visit your friends and family.' said Sephiroth, turning as he made his way towards the doorway of Gramp's Inn. 'The other is on guard duty for the next four hours.'

'Visit your family?' said Samantha in disbelief, watching as Sephiroth and Zack disappeared inside. 'Cloud…_you're_ from Nibelheim?'

'Yeah, why?'

'Then it must be you.'

'Samantha, what are you talking about?' he said, frowning.

'I met a girl here named Tifa Lockhart.' she replied excitedly.

'You know Tifa?'

'I found her on the mountain after I got lost.' explained Samantha. 'We helped each other out.'

'What did she say?'

'When I told her I was from Shinra, she mentioned that she had a childhood friend called Cloud who left this town two years ago to become a SOLDIER. She asked about you.'

'What did you tell her?'

'I said I didn't know.' shrugged Samantha. 'I couldn't be sure just by the name if it was the same Cloud. It seems the Planet is a smaller place than I'd thought.'

'Not small enough for me to have seen her since I joined the Army.' sighed Cloud.

'You'll meet her again tomorrow.'

'Huh?'

'I asked her to be our guide for the Reactor investigation.'

'You did what?' spluttered Cloud. 'So…she'll be travelling with us on the mountain?'

'That's generally what a guide does.' said Samantha sarcastically. 'I'm sorry, but I can't talk about it right now. Tseng is already breathing down my neck because I involved a civilian…'

_Shit_, she thought as the realisation of her neglect for Tseng's specific instructions struck her, _I have to inform him that the team has arrived_…

'What did you expect?'

'Look, I…uh…I have to go.' she said hurriedly, failing to acknowledge the remark. 'I…um…still have a lot of work to do. I'll see you around.'

'Samantha, wait!' he called as she jogged off, pulling her cell phone from the breast pocket of her suit.

'What is it?'

'Can I ask you a favour?'

'It depends what it is.' she laughed.

'If you see Tifa, don't tell her I'm back.'

'Huh?'

'It's just…'

* * *

'Sorry I'm late.' she gasped, letting her body fall against the tower. She panted hard, her face beaming with exhaustion. Cloud helped her onto the wooden ledge, and together they sat down at its corner. 'You said you wanted to talk to me about something?'

'Come this spring, I'll be leaving for Midgar.' said Cloud, clearing his throat. There came a long silence. He studied Tifa's expression, her young face thoughtful.  
'All the boys are leaving the town.' she said eventually.

'But I'm not like them.' he said. 'I'm not just going to find a job...I want to join SOLDIER. I want to be like Sephiroth.'

'Sephiroth? The Great Sephiroth? But...isn't it difficult to join SOLDIER?'

'I'll have to train really hard.'

'But that means...'

'I probably won't be able to come back for a while.'

* * *

'…I don't want her to know I haven't made it yet.' he said, lowering his head.

'And you're ashamed of that?' said Samantha, surprised. 'Cloud, that's ridiculous. I'm sure Tifa won't care if…'

'Just keep it a secret, okay?'

'Alright.' she nodded, flashing him a quick grin. 'My mouth is sealed.'

'Thanks.' said Cloud. 'I owe you one.'


	8. FFVII: The Reunion

CHAPTER FIVE

**The Reunion**

Cloud felt his grip on the Buster sword waver, the energy draining from his aching arms as he gasped for air. His heart continued to race, the adrenaline pumping, beads of sticky sweat streaming down his cheeks. The others bore the same exhausted expressions as he, all but Cait Sith panting as they once again shouldered their weapons. The battle had reminded them of the dangers they faced at the centre of the crater; that their conflict was no longer simply against the storm. Around the party, the unrelenting gale began to pick up speed, hazing their path as clouds of dust forced their way across the ledge.

'What's that?' cried Yuffie, her voice distant over the screaming wind, pointing past Cloud to where the creature had fallen.

He spun, raising the sword aloft in anticipation of the monster's next move. To his surprise, he saw nothing but the form of a humanoid limb resting against the edge of the cliff. The moulding blue skin of the arm was torn to reveal stale muscle and cartilage protruding at either end of the joint, a faint smear of dark blood seeping onto the rock. Cautiously, Cloud took a few paces forward, frowning as he investigated the strange remains of their foe.

'What the hell is it, man?' called Barret.

'It…it…' he stammered, unable to find words as he was met with a grim realisation.

'Cloud?'

'It's Jenova.' he shouted, turning to face the group. 'These are the cells of Jenova.'

'What?' said Tifa. 'Are you sure?'

'Positive.' he said in a cold voice. 'It's the same thing me and Barret fought when we saw Sephiroth on the cargo ship.'

'What the hell's goin' on?' said Cid angrily, growing frustrated in his unsuccessful attempts to light his next cigarette. 'Talk in a language we can all understand, will ya?'

'Jenova's cells…the Reunion…' muttered Cloud. 'So that's what all this is about. It's all beginning to make sense.'

'Don't make no damn sense to me!' said Barret.

'Jenova has brought us here as part of her Reunion.'

'Jenova?' said Tifa. 'Not Sephiroth? You mean all this time it wasn't Sephiroth we were chasing?'

'I'll explain later.' said Cloud. 'Right now, the only thing I'm thinking about is finding him and stopping all this.'

'But, I thought you said…'

'He's here.' said Cloud firmly, cutting Tifa off. 'The real Sephiroth is just beyond here. I can feel him…it's stronger than anything I've felt before. He's been here all this time…still incredibly wicked and cruel. He's been releasing his powerful Will from deep within this site.'

'Cloud, what are you talking about?' said Nanaki.

Glancing around at the dismembered arm, an overwhelming urge filled his body like the rush of a drug. The small, rotting chunk of flesh stared back at him, teasing him with his weaknesses, sneering at him in its superiority. With a roar of uncontrollable rage, he snatched the arm from the ground, and hurled it as far as he could into the misty depths of the Northern Crater. As he stood staring out over the twisting ledges of the crater's inhospitable landscape, his chest heaving, his maddened eyes caught a shimmer of black hidden in a fissure at the side of the pathway. Kneeling down, he reached into the thin crack, his fingers wrapping around the smooth, glassy orb.

_It can't be_…

'Cloud, what is it?' yelled Yuffie.

He grew slowly to his feet, not taking his gaze from the black murkiness that swirled within the tiny sphere. It seemed much lighter than before, as if the weight of its burden had been lifted. Cradling the orb in his palm, he rejoined the others, holding it out for them all to see.

'That's not…?' spluttered Cait Sith.

'The Black Materia is back in our hands.' said Cloud. 'Now all I have to do is defeat Sephiroth and that'll be the end of it.'

'_You_?' coughed Cid.

'I'm sorry, everyone.' said Cloud, lowering his head. 'But I'm going on alone. I have to settle the score with him by myself.'

'I'm coming with you.' said Tifa.

'Tifa, no.' he said pleadingly. 'I don't want you to get hurt.'

'Look,' she said assertively, folding her arms, 'I know you want to get revenge on Sephiroth because of what he did in Nibelheim, but did you ever stop to think exactly how I feel?'

'Tifa…'

'He killed my father, too, Cloud!' she snapped. 'Or had you forgotten about that in your own desperate desire to get even?'

'Tifa…I…I'm sorry…'

'It doesn't matter.' she said. 'All that matters now is that we go on together and finish this.'

'Alright.' Cloud sighed.

'We'd better not take the Black Materia any further.' said Tifa as she stepped forward, pulling her studded gloves tighter over her fists. 'Why don't you give it to someone else to hold onto?'

'Yeah, you…you're right…' he said, reluctantly passing the Materia to Barret.

'Damn, man!' groaned Barret, examining the orb in his hand. 'Pressure's on now.'

'Don't give it to anyone.' said Cloud as he retreated to where Tifa waited. 'We're all counting on you.'

'Good luck.' said Nanaki, watching as the two started towards the dust storm ahead.

'Cloud.' called Vincent. Cloud looked over his shoulder to see him standing tall over Yuffie and Cait Sith, his ragged cloak blowing wildly in the wind. Nodding once, his red eyes burning deep into Cloud's, Vincent allowed his pale face to again become concealed by his hair and collar. 'Be careful.'

'You sure you're ready for this?' asked Cloud as the others began to fade from sight.

'Ready as I'll ever be.' Tifa replied with forced enthusiasm, flashing him a quick smile. 'Let's go find Sephiroth.'

Leading the way, Cloud crept carefully over the unstable mounds of rock on the ridge, every moment checking the footing of his next step would not cause them to plummet from the path. As they advanced onwards, the ledge grew thinner than any they had yet negotiated. Concerned by the closing fog, he took Tifa's hand, the two helping one another across the broken walkway. On either side of them, Cloud could make out columns of stone ascending from the mist like soundless sentinels, guarding the trail to the natural fortress.

Beyond the hail of dirt and ice, a brilliant white light emerged. It transfixed the two, both focusing on its luring glow as they fought their way through the battering gale. As they neared the light, sharp flares of lightning exploded around them, illuminating their path for a split second. The ground shook beneath them, the very earth quaking in the endless surge of the Planet's destructive powers. Grabbing Tifa's wrist, Cloud broke into a sprint, shielding his eyes as he charged blindly forward, the cold bite of frost piercing his face.

Then, without warning, it stopped. The pair inhaled deeply as they glanced around, seeing the high border of grey cloud rushing behind them in a furious torrent, encircling the arching walls of rock that rose to form a domed enclosure around the centre of the crater. A short distance along the ridge stood a lone cavern, its stone entrance shrouded by waves of dancing Mako, the green current of the Lifestream erupting into the moonlit sky around it. Atop the enormous cavern, the Highwind hovered above the reach of the Mako rivers, a heavy chain of iron anchoring the airship to the rock.

'Where are we?' said Tifa, her jaw dropping in awe of the spectacular setting.

'The eye of the storm.' answered Cloud, starting along the ledge. 'The Planet's been trying to protect this place…healing its two-thousand year old wound. Sephiroth needed somewhere abundant in Spirit Energy to regenerate. What better a location than the scar Jenova left on the Planet?'

'What are you saying, Cloud?'

'C'mon.' he urged. 'We have to get to him before the Shinra do.'

As he trekked across the barren pathway, hurdling boulders of jagged land as he hurried towards the cavern, Cloud sensed a presence around him, surveying him from afar. Stopping to offer Tifa his assistance in clambering over an uneven crack, his world was suddenly plunged into total blackness, an eerie silence falling over his surroundings. Only the anxious breathing of Tifa could be heard, her figure remote and dim in the unending darkness.

'What's going on?' she cried, gripping Cloud's arm. 'What's happening?'

'Calm down, Tifa.' said Cloud. 'Sephiroth is near. Anything could happen. Just don't move.'

Around them, the image of Nibelheim began to form, leaving the two beneath the frail overhanging gateway of the town. A silent path of murky granite ventured deeper into the boundaries of settlement from where they stood, lined on both sides by broad houses of pale sandstone. An ancient pickup motortricycle lay rusting in a small garden at the edge of the road, its decrepit exterior sheltered from the world by a white fence of painted wood. The shadow of Mount Nibel began to shape as the cool sun of late summer appeared in the dissipating overcast sky, cautiously slithering over the redbrick rooftops towards them.

'Nibelheim?' squeaked Tifa. 'Why are we here?'

'This is an illusion Sephiroth has made up.' said Cloud. 'He's trying to confuse us.'

'But what if something happens?'

'We'll be fine.' he said. 'As long as we remember it's just an illusion, there's nothing to be afraid of.'

'Yeah, you're right.' said Tifa, pulling her body close to his for comfort, but sprang back as she glanced over his shoulder. 'Cloud…look!'

From the old trail leading to the Velamyu Forest, a bulky army vehicle rumbled into view and came to a halt less than two hundred feet from the gateway. After a few moments, the rear of the truck swung open, and two Shinra soldiers hopped onto the road, followed by the elegant Sephiroth. Under the superior's orders, the three began towards Cloud and Tifa, the sounds of the unfolding scene barely detectable.

'I remember this.' said Cloud, frowning as the apparitions strode past them, stopping beneath the entrance to the town. 'But…'

They heard the hushed slam of a door and, turning back to the army vehicle as it pulled away, saw another man jogging along the trail to join Sephiroth and the soldiers. He wore a First Class SOLDIER uniform, not unlike Cloud's outfit; clad in a dark blue sleeveless jumper and combat trousers, tied down by steel-plated armour and a belt bearing the Crest of SOLDIER. The man appeared no older than eighteen, his handsome, sharp young face and sparkling blue Mako eyes hidden somewhat by his long locks of spiked black hair. As he trotted alongside them, Cloud caught sight of the Buster sword strapped to the man's back, and gazed at Tifa in bewilderment.

'I remember all of this.' he said curiously. 'But, that man…that's not me. Who _is_ that?'

'Stop it, Sephiroth' wailed Tifa, her begging eyes wandering to his vision at the head of the party. He stood with his back to them, chuckling callously to himself as he had five years ago, the unheard conversation coming to its climax.

'This is so stupid.' said Cloud. 'Tifa…what's wrong?'

'Nothing.' she said quickly, her head snapping back towards his. 'It's…uh…it's just an illusion, right? Cloud, don't worry about it.'

'I'm not worried.' he said. No sooner had the words left his mouth, the scene dissipated once more into blackness as the men entered Nibelheim. The air around them grew cold again, the pleasant warmth of the afternoon vanishing with the four soldiers. 'Great…what's next?'

'Sephiroth!' said Tifa, her teeth chattering. 'Stop it already!'

With a flash, the scene of Nibelheim's square engulfed by a raging fire opened before them. Through the black clouds, they could make out the smoldering shops on the square's circumference, and the crumbling water tower at its centre. The bedroom annex of Gramps' Inn had completely collapsed around the building's entrance, exposing its disintegrated interior. More than a dozen townspeople lay slaughtered across the ground, dark blood oozing from the multiple sword wounds. They had been shown no mercy; their corpses left in the same sadistic positions as they had fallen.

'This is actually what happened five years ago…' said Cloud quietly, watching Tifa as she began to sob. 'But…it probably won't be me that comes out of the Shinra Mansion. He's going to try and show us another illusion.'

From the distance, they saw the manor's old oak door suddenly open, revealing the black-haired SOLDIER in the entrance. The man stopped as the furious blast of crisp warm air assaulted his skin, a muffled cry escaping his lips as he saw the inferno of orange flames climbing into the night sky above the town. He staggered down the garden path of the mansion towards the mangled gate of hewed iron that clung despairingly to the redbrick wall, at last breaking onto to the rocky dirt trail. The obvious hurt of his injuries vanished instantly as the agony of the sight sent adrenaline streaming through his blood, driving him forward towards the burning Nibelheim.

Past the orchard and cottages of the town's border he scrambled, coughing and gasping for air, feeling the searing heat of the fires inside each home as he fought his way through the dense smoke that billowed from windows and doorways. He charged on through the blaze, almost losing his balance as he came to the wide concrete stairs at the edge of the town square, and his image began to fade into the scene.

'See?' insisted Cloud. 'What did I tell you? I know I came that way. All I wanted was to get to mum. I know it was me who tried to save her, but…'

'Cloud, don't watch.' wept Tifa, nuzzling her face into his shoulder. 'I don't want to watch this. Cloud, I'm scared.'

'Tifa, what's wrong?' he asked. 'I told you before, right? As long as we know that it's all just an illusion, there's no need to be afraid.'

'But…why's he doing this?'

'Why don't we ask him?'

'What?'

'Sephiroth, I know you're listening.' he boomed, glaring into the soaring fires that tore through the buildings of the town. Tifa held him nearer, visibly shaken by the images of that fateful night, her tears trickling onto his bare arm. Though his mind repeated time and again that the surroundings were nothing more than a fantasy world Sephiroth had created, he could not ignore the atmosphere of death that lingered amidst the imaginary ruins of Nibelheim's square. 'I know what it is you're trying to tell me.'

'Cloud, no…' gasped Tifa.

'You're trying to say I wasn't in Nibelheim five years ago when you burned it to the ground.' growled Cloud confidently. 'That's it, isn't it?'

'I see you finally understand.' came Sephiroth's low voice from behind them.

They spun to see him standing at the foot of the steps a number of feet from them, his entire body swathed in the orange blaze. He slowly followed the flickering movement of the fire with his hands, caressing the tip of each flame with a gentle touch, as if he considered the illusion as his own masterpiece. Finally bringing his attention to the pair, he grinned wickedly, the darkened patches beneath his green eyes casting an evil expression across his menacing face.

'What you're trying to say is that you want to confuse me, right?' said Cloud. 'It's not enough for you to know that five years of my life are unaccounted for. You want nothing more than to see me lose my mind trying to remember what happened, don't you? But showing me these things won't affect me. I know what happened that night. I remember it all; the intensity of the flames…the anger of betrayal. How could I ever forget the pain I felt that night?'

'Pain, Cloud?' said Sephiroth mockingly.

'The pain I felt in my body…' said Cloud, 'and in my heart…'

'Is that so?' cackled Sephiroth, unable to stop his grin growing wider. 'You are just a puppet. You have no heart; you cannot feel pain. How can there be any meaning in the memory of such a being? What I have shown you is reality. What you remember…that is the illusion.'

'Cloud, don't listen to him.' sobbed Tifa.

'Do you understand, Cloud?' said Sephiroth.

'I don't want to understand.' he said, his mind overloading with thoughts and images; what he deemed to be memories. 'But, I want to ask you one thing, Sephiroth.'

'Go ahead.'

'Why…why are you doing this?'

'I want to take you back to your real self.' he replied. 'You have been hearing the voice in your head for a number of months now, haven't you?'

'That was you?'

'No…not me. It is your real self that has been speaking to you in your thoughts, trying to break free…trying to show you who you really are.'

'Speaking to me?' croaked Cloud. 'The _real_ me? But…why? Who is the real me?'

'The one who so willingly gave me the Black Materia that day.' said Sephiroth. 'Who would have ever thought a failed experiment would prove so useful? Hojo would die if he knew.'

'Hojo?' Cloud snarled. 'What does he have to do with me?'

'Five years ago…' said Sephiroth, his smile fading, 'you were constructed by Hojo, piece by piece, right after Nibelheim was destroyed. A puppet made of vibrant Jenova cells, her regeneration abilities, and the power of Mako. An incomplete Sephiroth Clone…not even given a number. That is your reality.'

'Cloud, don't listen!' begged Tifa, her voice breaking. 'Close your ears…close your eyes…'

'Tifa, why are you acting like this?' he said inquisitively. She stepped back from him, holding a hand over her quivering lips. 'I don't believe what he's saying. I'm not paying any attention to him. Why are you letting this affect you?'

'I'm not…' she whimpered, wiping the tears from her face. 'It's just…he's lying. Telling you that you were constructed by Hojo is a lie. Don't we have our memories together? The two of us as kids? Our promise? It's a lie, Cloud…all of it's a lie…'

'If what I say is a lie,' laughed Sephiroth, 'then why are you worried and scared by your own words?'

'Sephiroth…' she wept.

'Shall I show Cloud what's really in your heart?'

'Sephiroth…no…'

'What's wrong?' he chuckled. 'You look like you don't feel well.'

'Tifa…what's he talking about?' said Cloud, staring at her numbly, his senses dulling as he questioned her.

'Cloud…' she said fearfully, turning her head away.

'Why _are_ you so scared?' he pried. 'Why are you so concerned about me? I'm fine.'

'It's not that…it's just…'

'Don't worry.' he said. 'No matter how confused I am, I'll never believe a word that he says. It's true that sometimes I can't figure out who I am…there's a lot of things muddled up in my memories. But, Tifa…when we first met each other in Midgar, you said 'long time no see, Cloud', right? It doesn't make any difference how lost in my memories I become, because I know that those words will always support me. I'm the one you grew up with…I'm Cloud Strife of Nibelheim. Even if I lose faith in myself, that is the truth. That's why you shouldn't be scared. No matter what anyone else says to me, it's your attitude that counts…'

'That's what bothers me.'

'What bothers you?' asked Cloud. 'Isn't everything I've said right?'

'No, Cloud…' she replied softly, meeting his gaze with swollen eyes, 'it's not…'

'What's not?' he stammered, stunned by her answer. 'Aren't I the same Cloud you grew up with?'

'That's not what I mean.' she said. 'I don't know how to say this…'

'Say what? Tifa, if you're hiding something, please tell me.'

'Cloud, I need some time…' she whispered. 'Just…give me a little time…'

'Don't blame Tifa.' said Sephiroth, leering at the pair with an expression of satisfaction. 'The ability to change one's looks, voice, and words is the power of Jenova. Inside your hollow body, Jenova's cells have merged with Tifa's memories to create a boy she may once have known. Her recollections of Cloud have alone shaped your thoughts and personality. You are only who you are now as a direct result of this. Without Tifa, you would be an empty being.'

'Tifa…?' he croaked. 'Is this…is this true…?'

'Cloud, please don't try to think right now.'

'Think, Cloud!' Sephiroth urged. 'What really happened in Nibelheim that night? Why wasn't it you that ran from that mansion? Where have you been for the last five years…?'

'Stop it!' screamed Tifa.

'Who are you, Cloud? Oh, excuse me…you never had a name…'

'Shut up, Sephiroth!' roared Cloud, covering his ears.

'You still don't understand, do you?' said Sephiroth, shaking his head. 'Tifa, do you remember the photograph that was taken before the party first headed for Mount Nibel?'

'Yes.' she nodded, her body trembling.

'I wonder whatever happened to that picture.' he said, tapping his chin with his fingertips.

Strolling from the road, tracked by Cloud's attentive glare, he crossed the large square to where the hardware store still smouldered. The burned form of the young photographer lay dead in the doorway, his hair singed and his skin peeling. Kneeling at his side, Sephiroth tore a small parchment from his hand and, studying the blackened paper as he climbed to his feet, returned to where the two stood. As he approached, Cloud instinctively drew the Buster sword.

'Don't come any closer!' he growled, his teeth clenched.

'I only want to show you the picture.' sneered Sephiroth, ignoring the warning as he handed the photograph to Tifa. She gulped heavily as she hesitantly accepted it. 'It turned out pretty good, didn't it?'

'Let me see.' said Cloud, his voice uncertain. 'I…I should be in that picture.'

'Be my guest.' said Sephiroth.

'No, Cloud…' gasped Tifa as he snatched the piece of paper from her grip.

It showed three people standing before the tall gates of the Shinra Mansion, their shadows washing over the mossy redbrick wall in the early morning sunlight. Sephiroth was furthest right, his face stern, the Masamune dug into the earth by his side. A youthful Tifa was situated at the centre of the picture, posing gleefully in her brown leather skirt and boots, holding her stetson to prevent it falling from her head. On the left of the photograph, there loomed the nonchalant figure of the black-haired SOLDIER, his charming smile beaming. Cloud let the photograph fall to the ground.

'This doesn't mean anything, right?' said Cloud. 'It's not real. This is all just an imaginary world Sephiroth made up.'

'Cloud…'

'It's a fake.' he mumbled. 'I know it is. The truth is in my memory.'

'Is it?' said Sephiroth. 'Tell me again what happened back then.'

'Five years ago, I came back to Nibelheim with you,' Cloud started, 'to inspect the strange disappearance of Shinra employees at the Reactor in the Nibel Mountains. I was sixteen. The town hadn't changed at all; still as quiet as it had always been. I saw my mum. I met the people I knew. I spent the night at Gramps' Inn, and got guided tour to the Reactor by Tifa the next day. I was so excited about it. It was my first important mission in a long while as a SOLDIER…SOLDIER? When did I enter SOLDIER? How…how did I join SOLDIER?'

'Now he understands.' said Sephiroth.

'Why…why can't I remember?' spluttered Cloud, dropping to his knees, cradling his head in his hands.

'Because you are a puppet.'

'Stop it!' yelled Tifa, rushing to help him. 'Sephiroth, what have you done? _Sephiroth_…?'

Sephiroth smirked with twisted amusement as Cloud writhed in anguish before him, his eyes glinting with the thrill of his triumph. Tifa crouched beside Cloud, embracing him in an effort to comfort the torment of his merciless confusion. Taking a step backwards, Sephiroth's shape began to evaporate into the air, drawing the vision of Nibelheim with him. Once again, an impenetrable curtain of blackness descended over the two, isolating them from the world. It was not until the low, raspy voice cut through the darkness around her that she realised how very alone and afraid she had become.

'_Stop calling me Sephiroth_…'


	9. DC: Midgar's Evacuation

PROLOGUE

**Midgar's Evacuation**

The reddened crust of Meteor's leering surface hung in the dark sky above the vast city of Midgar, slowly advancing with each passing second, its image fading as black storm clouds gathered rapidly overhead. The pulses of energy that the Diamond WEAPON had shot towards the city in its final moments had caused much devastation across the sectors, obliterating everything in its path from the upper-most levels of the Shinra Building, to the internal structures of the Plate. The attack had left Midgar in a serious crisis, but the events of that night seemed nothing more than a softened prelude for what was to follow.

Yuffie flinched as a fork of lightning struck the Sector3 Mako Reactor a number of miles to the south, the night sky illuminated in a momentary flash of blue and white. She dropped the sheet of rigid steel to the ground, brushing the sweat from her brow with the back of her arm. She had been leading the Shinra rescue teams in their hunt for survivors across Sector2 for almost three hours, scavenging the streets and buildings for those who had refused to flee to the Slums as Meteor approached the city. The sound of fluttering filled her ears and, as she glanced up from the rubble, she saw another emergency helicopter touch down fifty feet from where she stood.

'I've found the last one!' called one of the rescue crew, stumbling from the doorway of the bank, an elderly man in his arms. 'He's critical.'

'Come on…hurry!' yelled Yuffie, waving him towards the aircraft. 'And try not to drop anyone this time. People with injuries are more important.'

She watched the crew member as he hurried down the street, striding purposefully against the weight his fireproof outfit and helmet. She turned, pulling her goggles down over her eyes as a strong gust blew dust and grime across her, and motioned for another of the crew to meet her. Taking a final scan of the building he had searched, the man jogged towards her, the searchlight of a rising helicopter washing smoothly over his uniform.

'What's our situation?' Yuffie asked as he stopped before her.

'Excavation is complete.' replied the man, panting heavily as he fought to catch his breath. 'All the survivors have been taken to safety.'

'Good work.' said Yuffie. 'Tell your team to pull out, but stay on high alert until we know the helicopters have reached a safe distance from the storm.'

'Roger.'

Saluting her, the man darted along the road, the distant rumble of thunder echoing across the heavens. Yuffie frowned, desperate to evacuate the rescue crew as soon as possible. Many of the men and women were now boarding some of the aircraft that lined the road of the downtown plaza, ascending into the night and disappearing over what was left of the city's skyline in the direction of the nearby town of Kalm. Pulling the radio from her pocket, Yuffie flicked the switch to transmit.

'All teams pull out.' she shouted over the growing howl of wind. 'I repeat; all teams pull out. Sector2 is clear. Vincent, what's your status?'

'Sector8 is finished.' came Vincent's crackling voice over the radio. 'But…Yuffie, turn your life sensor towards the Mako Cannon.'

'What? Why?'

'Just do it.'

'But that place has been blocked off.' she argued, reluctantly moving the handheld device in the direction of the Shinra Building. 'Reeve said nobody has been anywhere near the Cannon since us. Especially on…huh…what the…?'

As the sensor swooped over the sight of the enormous barrel of the Mako Cannon that reached out towards the city limits, reproducing its three-dimensional image upon the blue digital display, the screen blinked and became red. She gasped, focusing on the control terminal of the Cannon a short way from Headquarters. The device indicated a single life form remained on the platform, unmoving from its position at the computer panels.

'Yuffie, what is it?' said Vincent, his tone becoming tense.

'It…it's strange.' she stammered. 'The signal has detected a single life…'

'Just as I thought.'

'This is crazy. There's no way anyone could be up there…'

'Yuffie, rendezvous with Cloud and the others.'

'What?' she cried. 'No, Vincent, wa…wait…something's not right…I have a bad feeling about this!'

'It appears that I have some unfinished business.'

* * *

Vincent switched the radio off, stuffing it into his belt as he sprinted down the alleyway. Turning left at the end of the passage, he caught sight of one of the destroyed limbs of the Proud Clod lying burned and broken across the cobbled pavement, and knew that his destination was close. It had been little over ten hours since the party had defeated Heidegger and Scarlet's abominable creation as they sought access to the Mako Cannon, leaving it to rot along with its masters. Now, casting the memories from his mind of a night when the Shinra Empire had fallen, he spotted the temporary stairwell beyond the abandoned blockades at the end of the road.

Climbing the steps of the steel staircase two at a time, he came to the metal walkway atop the last of the fifteen flights. All was dark around him, the lamps on the tower bent and twisted as they stretched along the height of the Cannon. With a roar of thunder and a crack of lightning, the gale began to increase in speed, thrusting debris into the air with each ferocious blast of wind. Vincent pulled the collar of his red cloak across his face to shield his eyes as he started cautiously along the creaking structure, the ragged ends of the cape flapping wildly behind. In the shadows before him, he saw the platform for the control terminal, another streak of forked lightning somewhere close to the tower momentarily blinding him from his surroundings.

His eyes coming to focus, Vincent growled, at last spotting the limp form of Hojo. As expected, the body of the scientist was slumped against the computer screens from the seated position in which they had left him. The very sight of the man sent an anger pulsating through his veins. He thought of his battle with Hojo; the cells of Jenova against the particles of Chaos. He remembered the intense fury in his heart as his body had transformed; watching in horror as the viral cells of Jenova mutated the scientist; and recalled the moment when the bullet of the Death Penalty had pierced the brain of the madman.

_He took everything from me_, _but it was I who dealt the final blow. I should at least feel I have atoned for one of my sins, but_…_ something's wrong. Why is there still a life signature coming from this place? Could it be that the Jenova cells in his body are preventing him from fully passing into the Lifestream?_

Not once taking his gaze from him, Vincent drew his rifle, Cerberus, slowly from its holster on his leg, and aimed it at Hojo. The weapon was a soothing presence amidst the chaotic setting, its three silver barrels valiant and strong before him. The body seemed unaffected by the threat, unmoving but for the constant waver of the professor's stained laboratory coat. Vincent's expression grew taught and, as his finger wrapped around Cerberus' trigger, lightning struck the platform.

The explosion sent a shockwave pulsating across the walkway, tearing strips of metal from the tower. The sound of grinding steel rang out around him, followed by a great scream as the girders buckled at the foundations. Feeling the structure sway sharply beneath him, Vincent grabbed the barrier, glancing up as he tried to regain his balance. He frowned as he saw what remained of the control panel, the destroyed section of the shredded computer system ablaze with a fire spreading rapidly across it. Hojo was gone, his only trace a flashing monitor bearing the word 'Balestorg', replaced a few seconds later by a small notice: 'starting fragment program'.

From the east, a searchlight passed over him, swathing his body in white light, drawing his attention from the screen. One of the rescue helicopters was nearing the Cannon, its flight unstable as it forced its way through the storm. Coming to a stationary point a short distance above him, he saw the side door of the craft slide open to reveal Yuffie, her arms flailing as she frantically beckoned him. With a swift movement, he leapt onto the barrier and sprang towards her, soaring gracefully through the air like a dart. Landing hard at her side, he felt the helicopter rise immediately and, pulling his cloak around him as he turned, he saw the tower crumble from the Mako Cannon.


	10. BC: The Burden of Loyalty

CHAPTER NINETEEN

**The ****Burden of Loyalty**

19/12/06

'…yes, Mr. President, I understand.'

Closing his PHS slowly over, Tseng let out a lasting sigh. A strange sensation had enveloped his body, weighing him down like a brick in water. Although a distant hope had always foreseen the rise of such a scenario, President Shinra's news had come as a great shock. His mind was numb and without thought, leaving him as upright and motionless in his chair as he had been when he had first received the phone call. Only with the faint sound of his glass door opening across the soft beige carpet of his office did he stir from his stillness.

'I brought you some coffee, sir.' said the secretary as she carefully placed a steaming mug at the edge of the mahogany desk.

'Thank you.' said Tseng, straining a grateful smile.

With weary eyes, he watched her leave, before turning his attention to his paperwork. In the dim light of the room, he forced himself to read Heidegger's report on the recent developments in the Midgar and Junon Armies, skimming the pages without enthusiasm. _Squad rotation_..._the continual reduction of SOLDIER's involvement with priority missions_…_increased numbers of Gelnikas_..._this is all bullshit_…

His retinas burning with the blank image of nothingness, all was but an illusion around him. As he signed the last page of the document, Tseng yawned, and reached for the coffee. The scalding porcelain burned through his fingertips as he lifted the cup from the table, the seething pain awakening him from his subconscious, causing him to let go. With a dull _clink_, the mug landed hard on the desk, splashing coffee across the report.

'Goddammit!' he cursed, jumping from his seat and quickly mopping the spill with the sleeve of his suit jacket.

He swore again, wringing his arm as the droplets of warm brew fell into the wastebasket. The sharp return to reality had startled him, and the memory of the President's orders quickly found their way back into his head. _What the hell's wrong with me? Am I just tired? Or is it the situation_…_?_

Tseng glanced up from the desk, his gaze settling upon the shadowy bookcase on the far wall of the office. With an air of hesitance, he paced the floor to the shelves, and trailed a finger over the many hardback spines of Chief Verdot's old diaries and journals. Even in the three years the Chief had been missing, and against Heidegger's repeated insistence, Tseng had felt uneasy about removing any of the files from the office. Convincing himself instead that the collection would one day be useful, he had found himself simply adding his own reports to the bookcase.

Now, as his finger came to rest upon a worn red book, bound in a leather strap, he knew at once it was the journal he sought. On so many occasions he had wanted to open its dusty pages, and yet each time he had gathered the mental strength to fight the urge. Cradling the book in his hands, he carried it across the room and set it gently on the desk. Its smooth cover glowered at him with intimidation, void of decoration but for a single word, handwritten in golden ink; 'Nibelheim'.

There came the sound of heavy fluttering from beyond the tall windows at the rear of the office, and the room was momentarily swathed in white light as the Shinra helicopter passed. Cautiously picking his coffee cup from the desk, Tseng wandered aimlessly over to the large panels of glass, observing the craft as it vanished into the darkened skies above the slumbering city. Beneath him, the Sector7 suburbs were silent, without as much as a flicker of lamplight visible from the height of the Shinra Building.

Sipping the drink, he felt the boiling water race down his throat, warming his insides with a pleasant feeling of relaxation. It was a feeling he knew would quickly dissipate as he gathered the will to alert the Turks to their next assignment. Dreamily staring towards the horizon, the black silhouette of the Midgar Mountains jagged against the overcast heavens, he thought of his new targets.

_Because of what happened __four years ago, I feel responsible for their imprisonment at the hands of Hojo. If only I had been stronger_…_that was my mistake. Had it not been for the events at Nibelheim, their fate would not have become so twisted. He was my friend. I'm so sorry_…_Zack_…

Tseng lowered his head, the swell of guilt he had borne for so long erupting inside him. Biting his lip to cease its trembling, he punched the window frame, the glass panes shuddering loudly with the impact. Turning towards the desk, he gazed at the journal, its thick pages beckoning him. Exhaling deeply, he returned to the table, and slumped into his chair. He placed the mug opposite him and, silently preparing himself, pulled open the cover of the book.

The first number of pages were images that Chief Verdot had cut from magazines and newspapers, lain out in order to form a makeshift visual map of the town. Tseng felt his heart sink as he viewed the pictures, reminiscing on his first visit to Nibelheim. He could see Gramps' Inn and the hardware store at the edge of the town square, both overlooking the lone water tower at its centre. Smaller photographs of townspeople, the cheerful faces of men, women and children alike frozen in time, had been lain in rows at the base of the pages. _The Chief's homage to the dead_…

Skipping to the middle of the journal, he was met by the grim portrayal of a charred and crumbling town. Copies of the snapshots taken for Shinra's secret collection were pasted from corner to corner, the sight of ash-laden streets and burned bodies as horrific to view as it had been then. Tseng closed his eyes for a brief moment, disgusted by the pictures. Even now it saddened him to think of how easily the Company had dismissed the atrocity, remorseless as they rebuilt the town and inhabited it with employees willing to ignore Nibelheim's past.

With a hasty touch, he flicked through the next few pages, suddenly stopping as he reached a photograph more disturbing than any that had come before. Sephiroth's leering smile rose from the page like a ghostly light, draining the blood from Tseng's face as he gulped hard. The profile was incredibly formal, simply listing the honours Sephiroth had achieved in his eleven years as a SOLDIER, the most notable of which being his promotion to Captain while still in his late teens. Now they meant nothing; the unrivalled respect he had demanded as a legend of the Wutai War concealed by the red ink of a single stamped word: 'deceased'. _And to think we once called him a hero_…

Verdot had handwritten a number of short footnotes at the bottom of the profile page, all scribbled and mostly illegible. Straining his eyes, Tseng struggled to comprehend the words. They seemed related to Sephiroth and his eventual loss of sanity, possibly theorising what had led to the destruction of Nibelheim. He read the notes carefully, murmuring to himself with each new sentence. _Experiments_..._Gast_…_same downfall_…_inheritance_…_madness_ _driven like G_…

'What the hell?' spluttered Tseng, jumping as his PHS vibrated noisily on the desk. He answered it at once.

'Sir?' came Rude's crackling voice.

'Go ahead, I'm listening…'

'Sir, are the reports true?' said Rude, his usual calming tone distant. 'Have we to intercept the two escapees?'

'I have direct orders from the President.' replied Tseng. 'The military are in pursuit as we speak. However, for now, I want you and your team to continue as planned. Where's Reno?'

'Junon, sir.' said Rude. 'Tying up some loose ends.'

'Who do we have nearest the Nibel region at the moment?'

'Cissnei, I think.'

'It figures…' he snorted sardonically. 'Alright, put me through to her.'

'Hello?' said Cissnei after a number of seconds, the signal wavering as she spoke.

'Cissnei, it's Tseng. Can you hear me?'

'Loud and clear.'

'I have a new assignment for you.'

'I'm glad.' she said without amusement. 'The tranquillity of Rocket Town is becoming a bit tedious. And don't get me started on Captain Highwind…'

'Cissnei, listen to me.' said Tseng firmly. 'This is important.'

'Okay.'

'Seventy-two hours ago, two research samples escaped from Professor Hojo's laboratory beneath the Shinra Mansion in Nibelheim.' Tseng informed her. 'Your mission is to locate the targets and stop them from leaving the Nibel region. They are top priority.'

'You can rely on me.' she said. 'As always.'

'This may come as a difficult task for you in particular.'

'It doesn't matter. I'll be prepared for anything.'

'The samples are two adult males. One of them is a combat expert…once a First Class SOLDIER.'

'You don't mean…'

'Cissnei…' sighed Tseng, 'your targets are Zack Fair and a young soldier named Cloud Strife…the former of whom I'm sure you'll remember all too well.'

'But…I…'

'The targets have been spotted in the Velamyu Forest east of the town.' Tseng interrupted. 'You are to be dropped off by helicopter at that location so that you can scour the area more thoroughly. Be careful, though. Heidegger has mobilised the army to conduct his own search…presumably to justify his overspending. It would be in your interest to avoid the military. And, Cissnei?'

'Yes?'

'If you do find them first, try your best to capture them alive.'

'I can't believe we're going to take their freedom away from them a second time.' said Cissnei, her voice faltering. 'What a cruel fate.'

'Ever since you were recruited, you knew it was going to be like this.' said Tseng. 'I'm sorry, but it is our curse. No matter what our mission may be, no matter the consequences or our personal feelings, we will always carry it out without question. That is the duty of a Turk…'


End file.
